Youwei Zhang, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Research

Genome stability, in a simple way, means that the genetic information buried in DNA has to be kept stable. Changes or damages to DNA, if not fixed, often lead to the loss of genome stability. A long-term effect of the loss of genome stability is the occurrence of degenerative diseases, including premature ageing and human cancers. My lab is trying to understand a fundamental biological issue: how the genome stability is maintained in human cells? In detail, we focus on dissecting the molecular signaling networks that maintain the genome stability in human cells.

Virtually every function of the cell is carried out by a number of proteins that form a network within the cell. Genome stability maintenance is no exception. Knowing members of this signaling network is critical for our understanding of how the genome stability is maintained in human cells. We use biochemical, genetic, pharmacological and structural tools to identify proteins involved in this process and characterize their molecular function. In the long, we wish to understand how the genome stability is maintained.

Applications

The genome stability maintenance network functions as a double-edge sword. At one hand, it protects the cell's DNA from damage. On the other hand, it has remained a central target in cancer therapy. The idea underpinning this strategy is that inhibiting the genome stability maintenance network makes cancer cells extremely sensitive to agents that damage their DNA, enhancing the cell killing effect. Our laboratory is also interested in translate the knowledge that we gained above from bench to bed. The long-term goal is to cure or control cancers to increase the quality of life.

Therapeutic Advances and Research Breakthroughs

Studies done in my lab have the potential to be translated into potential treatment for human diseases, including cancers. For instance, our latest discovery opened the door for a new way to treat cancers without the concurrent use of chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, this novel concept should significantly reduce the toxic side effect by chemotherapy (see detail at:http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/cancerresearchnews/2012/GeneThatStopsCancerCellProliferation). We wish to design a better therapy for cancer patients with more effect and less toxicity.